Trade talks on $US1 trillion green goods

DIPLOMATS from Australia, the United States, China and the European Union have begun negotiations with other members of the World Trade Organization towards a new deal that would cut tariffs on almost $US1 trillion ($A1.08 trillion) of environmental goods.

THE proposed agreement at the Geneva-based organisation would cover 86 per cent of trade in environmental goods such as solar panels and gas and wind turbines for producing energy, filters and ultraviolet disinfection equipment for waste-water treatment, and soot removers and catalytic converters for air pollution control.